Sundance Jury Walks Out of ‘Magazine Dreams’ Premiere After Festival Fails to Provide Captioning for Juror Marlee Matlin (EXCLUSIVE) - Variety
Dramatic Competition walked out of the premiere of “ Magazine Dreams ” on Friday night over an incident in which the festival failed to provide adequate captioning for deaf and hearing impaired audience members — including juror Marlee Matlin.
However, multiple sources state that several filmmakers have declined the request to provide open captions onscreen, citing the costs and time associated with making another print.In the midst of the “Magazine Dreams” controversy, the jury sent a signed letter to festival filmmakers imploring them to allow “open caption DCP” prints to screen.In response to the incident, Sundance CEO Joana Vicente provided a statement: “Our goal is to make all experiences (in person and online) as accessible as possible for all participants.In 2020, the festival ensured that “Crip Camp” co-director James Lebrecht, who was born with spina bifida and uses a wheelchair, was able to attend major events, including the film’s premiere.“Magazine Dreams” is directed by Elijah Bynum and centers on a Black amateur bodybuilder, played by Jonathan Majors, who struggles to find human connection.